On any given evening during the month of Ramadan, a soup similar to this graces many Libyan tables. Packed with fork-tender meat, plump orzo, warming spices and bright herbs, the comforting meal is adored — so much so that it’s called “shorba,” meaning, quite simply, soup, with no confusion as to which soup is being referred to. Seasoning the dish with dried mint is a must; its citrusy notes balance the harissa, a smoky North African pepper paste that brings both chili heat and complex spicing to the soup.
Harissa brings complex chili heat to this meaty Libyan soup during Ramadan